FAILURE: Eli Lilly

Colonel Eli Lilly, founder of Eli Lilly & Company, is the epitome of business success.  However, Lilly’s path to success was full of unimaginable obstacles, challenges and devastating failures.

Lilly began his career in the military, actively recruiting classmates, friends, local merchants and farmers, to join him in forming a unit to fight in the Civil War. Lilly was elected commander of the battery he had assembled, and the group quickly went to the front lines of the conflict. While Lilly and his troops experienced numerous military victories, they were ultimately captured, and Lilly was held as a prisoner of war.

Read more of his story here.

In June, Indiana Humanities is exploring the topic of “failure,” as part of its Spirit of Competition theme.